Doordarshan is an Indian
public service broadcasterPublic broadcasting includes radio, television and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service. Public broadcasters receive funding from diverse sources including license fees, individual contributions, public financing and commercial financing.Public broadcasting may be...
, a division of
Prasar BharatiPrasar Bharati is India's largest public broadcaster. It is an autonomous body set up by an Act of Parliament and comprises Doordarshan television network and All India Radio which were earlier media units of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.Prasar Bharati was...
. It is one of the largest broadcasting organizations in India in terms of the infrastructure of
studioA studio is an artist's or worker's workroom, or the catchall term for an artist and his or her employees who work within that studio. This can be for the purpose of architecture, painting, pottery , sculpture, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, animation, radio or television...
s and
transmitterIn electronics and telecommunications a transmitter or radio transmitter is an electronic device which, with the aid of an antenna, produces radio waves. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which is applied to the antenna. When excited by this alternating...
s. Recently, it has also started Digital Terrestrial Transmitters. On September 15, 2009, Doordarshan celebrated its 50th anniversary. The DD provides television, radio, online and mobile services throughout metropolitan and regional India, as well as overseas through the Indian Network and Radio India.
Beginning
Doordarshan had a modest beginning with the experimental telecast starting in
DelhiDelhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
on 15 September 1959 with a small transmitter and a makeshift studio. The regular daily transmission started in 1965 as a part of
All India RadioAll India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
. The
televisionTelevision is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
service was extended to Bombay (now
MumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
) and
AmritsarAmritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
in 1972. Up until 1975, only seven Indian cities had a television service and Doordarshan remained the sole provider of television in India. Television services were separated from radio in 1976. Each office of All India Radio and Doordarshan were placed under the management of two separate Director Generals in New Delhi. Finally, in 1982, Doordarshan as a National Broadcaster came into existence.
Nationwide transmission
National telecasts were introduced in 1982. In the same year, colour TV was introduced in the Indian market with the live telecast of the Independence Day speech by then prime minister
Indira GandhiIndira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
on 15 August 1982, followed by the 1982
Asian GamesThe Asian Games, officially known as Asiad, is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games. Since the 1982 Games they have been organised by the...
which were held in Delhi. Now more than 90 percent of the Indian population can receive Doordarshan (DD National) programmes through a network of nearly 1,400 terrestrial transmitters. There are about 46 Doordarshan studios producing TV programs today.
Early national programming
The 80s were noted for
Hum Log (1984),
BuniyaadBuniyaad is an Indian television drama-series that was directed by Ramesh Sippy and Jyoti Sarup. The series was written by Manohar Shyam Joshi and dealt with the Partition of India in 1947 and its aftermath....
(1986–87) and comedy shows like
Yeh Jo Hai ZindagiYeh Jo Hai Zindagi was a popular comedy sitcom on Indian television, aired for the first time in 1984. It was written by comedy writer Sharad Joshi and directed by S. S...
(1984).
- Hum Log, Buniyaad
Buniyaad is an Indian television drama-series that was directed by Ramesh Sippy and Jyoti Sarup. The series was written by Manohar Shyam Joshi and dealt with the Partition of India in 1947 and its aftermath....
, and NukkadNukkad was the name of a popular Hindi TV serial that aired on the Indian Television channel DD National in 1986 - 87. It was co-directed by Kundan Shah and Saeed Akhtar Mirza, and was written by Prabodh Joshi....
along with mythological dramas such as RamayanRamayan is a highly successful Indian television series created, written, and directed by Ramanand Sagar. The 78-episode series originally aired weekly on Doordarshan from January 25, 1987, to July 31, 1988, on Sundays at 9:30 a.m...
(1987–88) and MahabharatMahabharat is a successful Indian television series based on the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata. The 94-episode series originally ran from 2 October 1988 to 24 June 1990. It was produced by B. R. Chopra and directed by his son, Ravi Chopra. The music was composed by critically acclaimed music...
(1989–90), Shaktimaan, India's First Superhero, glued millions to Doordarshan as did shows such as Bharat Ek KhojBharat Ek Khoj is a 53-episode television series that dramatically unfolds the 5000 year history of India from its beginnings to the coming of independence in 1947...
, The Sword of Tipu Sultan and The Great Maratha.
- Hindi film songs based programs like Chitrahaar
Chitrahaar is a television program on DD National, most widely watched in the 1970s. The word literally means 'a garland of pictures'. It airs for half an hour every Friday on prime-time where the videos of the latest songs in Hindi film music are televised...
, Rangoli, Ek Se Badkar Ek and Superhit MuqablaSuperhit Muqabla was an immensely popular countdown show of popular Hindi film songs that was broadcast on the Indian TV channel DD Metro of Doordarshan network, for several years in the 1990s....
.
- Crime thrillers like Barrister Vinod (starring Parikshit Sahni), Karamchand
Karamchand was the popular detective TV serial in the 1980s. It was broadcast on India's national television channel DD National, and it was one of India's first detective series . Pankaj Kapur portrayed the detective Karamchand. The role of his assistant Kitty was played by Sushmita Mukherjee...
(starring Pankaj KapoorPankaj Kapur is an Indian theatre, television and film actor from Ludhiana, Punjab, India. He has appeared in several television serials and films. His most acclaimed film roles to date have been that of Dr...
),Aparadhi Kaun, PC 1008 (starring Kanwaljeet), Police File Se, Byomkesh BakshiByomkesh Bakshi is a fictional detective in Bengali literature created by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. He is one of the most successful detective characters in Bengali Literature. Also, Bandyopadhyay once said that these stories can be thought as and read as social novels only...
(starring Rajit Kapoor), Reporter(Shekhar SumanShekhar Suman is an Indian film actor and a television personality. He has also been featured as a singer on a music album. Suman married Alka Kapur on May 4, 1984, and has a son, Adhyayan Suman a Bollywood film actor.-Career:...
), TehkikaatTehkikaat is a Hindi language detective-thriller series about various crime scene investigations, starring Vijay Anand as Sam D'Silva and Saurabh Shukla as Gopichand. Released in May 1994, the series involved resolving mysteries and murders with a touch of humour to it.This became the second best...
and Janki Jasoos, Suraag (starring Sudesh BerrySudesh Berry is a well known television and Bollywood actor.Sudesh made his debut in 1988 with Khatron Ke Khiladi. He played the lead roles in Vansh and Yudhpath but these movies proved to be big flops...
).
- Shows targeted at children include Faerie Tale Theatre
Faerie Tale Theatre is a live-action children's television anthology series retelling popular fairy tales. Shelley Duvall serves as narrator, host and executive producer of the program, and occasionally stars in episodes...
, Dada Dadi ki Kahaniyan, Vikram Betaal, Space City SigmaSpace City Sigma is an Indian science fiction television series that aired on the DD National channel in the late 1980s. It is considered to be the first science fiction series produced in India.-External links:***...
, Stone Boy, Malgudi DaysMalgudi Days is an Indian television series based on the works of R.K. Narayan. The series was directed by the late Kannada actor and director, Shankar Nag and Carnatic musician L. Vaidyanathan composed the score. R. K Narayan's brother and acclaimed cartoonist R. K. Laxman was the sketch artist....
, Tenali Rama, Potli Baba KiPotli Baba Ki was a popular children's puppet TV series aired in India in 1991 on national Television channel Doordarshan. It featured various popular fairy tales in simple language and used to give good moral messages to children. The title song - Aaya Re Baba was very popular among children....
(puppet show), He-ManHe-Man is a fictional heroic character featured in the Masters of the Universe media franchise. In most variations, he is the alter ego of Prince Adam...
, Superhuman Samurai Cyber Squad, Knight Rider, TeletubbiesTeletubbies is a BBC children's television series targeted at pre-school viewers and produced from 1997 to 2001 by Ragdoll Productions. It was created by Ragdoll's creative director Anne Wood CBE and Andrew Davenport, who wrote each of the show's 365 episodes. The programme's original narrator was...
, Street HawkStreet Hawk is an American television series that aired for 13 episodes on ABC in 1985. The series was a Limekiln and Templar Production in association with Universal Television. Its central characters were created by Paul M. Belous and Robert "Bob" Wolterstorff, and its core format was developed...
and a horror serial Kile ka Rahasya (1989).
- Other popular shows include Oshin
Oshin is a Japanese serialized morning television drama, which aired on broadcaster NHK from April 4, 1983 to March 31, 1984. The series follows the life of Shin Tanokura during the Meiji period up to the early 1980s. Shin was called "Oshin", which is Japanese archaic cognomen.In total, 297...
a Japanese drama series, TrishnaTrishna may refer to:* Tanha, the Buddhist concept of thirst or desire* Trishna , a drama directed and produced by Sippy Films in India* Trishna , a romance film directed by Pritam Jalan...
, Mr. Yogi, Neem Ka Ped, CircusA circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
, FaujiFauji was a TV series following the training of an Indian Army commando regiment that aired on India's national channel DD National in 1988. It was produced by New Film Addicts pvt ltd. Mr Milin Kapoor was a Director in this company.He was to play the main role of Lt...
(launching Shahrukh KhanShahrukh Khan , often credited as Shah Rukh Khan, is an Indian film actor, as well as a film producer and television host. Often referred to as "the King of Bollywood", Khan has acted in over 70 Hindi films....
),Rani Laxhmibai,Dastan-E-Hatim Tai,Alif Laila, Gul Gulshan Gulfam, UdaanUdaan was the name of a popular Hindi TV serial that aired on the Indian Television channel DD National in 1989 - 91. The serial was written and directed by Kavita Choudhary who was also the main lead of the serial. It also starred Shekhar Kapur in a cameo. It was probably the first Indian...
, RajaniRajani also known as Sasikala in Kollywood is a famous South Indian film actress. Her birth name was Sashi Malhotra[1], and she is introduced with her popular name Rajani in Telugu, and as Sasikala in Tamil movies. She was born to V. N. Malhotra, a Punjabi and Sulochana, a Kanada Brahmin. She was...
, Talaash-Personnel:All information is taken from the CD.Junoon*Salman Ahmad - vocals, lead guitar*Ali Azmat - vocals, backing vocals*Brian O'Connell - bass guitar, backing vocalsAdditional musicians*Bass guitars played by Assad Ahmed...
, Phir Wohi Talash, Katha Saagar, Nupur, Mirza GhalibDabir-ul-Mulk, Najm-ud-Daula Mirza Asadullah Baig Khan , pen-name Ghalib and Asad , was a classical Urdu and Persian poet from India during British colonial rule...
, Wagle ki Duniya, Phulvanti, SangharshSangharsh is a 1999 Bollywood film directed by Tanuja Chandra. It stars Akshay Kumar, Preity Zinta and Ashutosh Rana. The movie is based on the 1991 Academy Award-winning film The Silence of the Lambs.-Synopsis:...
, LifelineLifeline or Lifelines may refer to:Non-Medical In-Home Services to the Elderly:* Lifeline utility, in New Zealand, an essential service during major emergencies* Crisis hotline:** Lifeline , Australia-based, now international...
, Kashish (launching Malvika Tiwari), Srimaan Srimati, Tu Tu Mein Mein, JunoonJunoon is a sufi rock band from Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, formed in 1990. The band is directed by founder, lead guitarist and songwriter, Salman Ahmad, who was soon joined by keyboardist Nusrat Hussain and vocalist Ali Azmat...
, Ajnabi (starring Danny DenzongpaTshering Phintso Denzongpa , widely known by his acting name "Danny" Denzongpa, is an Indian actor of Sikkimese ancestry working in Bollywood films....
), Zabaan Sambhal Ke, Dekh Bhai DekhDekh Bhai Dekh was a Hindi sitcom directed by Anand Mahendru, and starring Sushma Seth, Navin Nischol and Shekhar Suman in lead roles. It first aired in 1993. The story revolves around three generations of the Diwan family, who live as an extended family in an ancestral bungalow in the suburbs of...
, Sansaar, SwabhimaanSwaabhimaan was an Indian afternoon soap opera aired in 1995, directed by Mahesh Bhatt, and scripted by Shobha De and Vinod Ranganath.-Plot:...
, ChanakyaChānakya was a teacher to the first Maurya Emperor Chandragupta , and the first Indian emperor generally considered to be the architect of his rise to power. Traditionally, Chanakya is also identified by the names Kautilya and VishnuGupta, who authored the ancient Indian political treatise...
, ShantiShanti, Santhi or Shanthi means peace, rest, calmness, tranquility, or bliss.The poet T.S. Eliot, in his poem The Waste Land translated it as "The Peace which passeth understanding."...
(launching Mandira BediMandira Bedi is an Indian actress, model and television presenter who gained celebrity status playing the title role in the 1994 television serial, Shanti, shown on India's national channel, Doordarshan which was the first ever daily soap on Indian television.She followed up her career in TV...
), Sea Hawks (starring R. MadhavanR. Madhavan is an Indian actor, writer, film producer and television host. Madhavan has received a Filmfare Award, an award from the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards alongside recognition and nominations from other organisations...
), Surabhi, Tana Bana, Mujrim Hazir (launching Navni Parihar), Jaspal Bhatti's Flop Show, Meri Awaaz Suno, Captain Vyom, and ChandrakantaChandrakanta is an Indian fantasy television series partly based on Devaki Nandan Khatri's novel Chandrakanta. It was originally telecast on Doordarshan in the early 1995 and was produced by Nirja Guleri and directed by Sunil Agnihotri....
and Tootne Ke Baad (TV Serial by Paigham AfaquiPaig̲h̲ām Āfāqī , also written Paigham Afaqi pr Paigham Afaqui is the literary name of Akhtar Ali Farooquee , an Indian writer, known particular for his Urdu novels and short stories....
)
- Not many remember but Doordarshan used to have serials before sponsored programmes came into existence. Serials like Dadi Maa Jagi, Bibi Natiyonwali, Aur Bhi Ghum Hai Zamane Mein, and Laddoo Singh Taxi Wala ( starring Paintal ) were also popular
- Sarab Sanji Gurbani was the first sponsored programme on Doordarshan, sponsored by Texla TV
Doordarshan also telecast English cartoons at 12.00 noon during summer vacations in a programme named "Fun Time" which showed cartoons like
Spider-ManSpider-Man is an animated television series that ran from September 9, 1967 to June 14, 1970. It was jointly produced in Canada and the United States and was the first animated adaptation of the Spider-Man comic book series, created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko...
,
Giant Robo, is a manga and tokusatsu series created by Mitsuteru Yokoyama. It is similar to his famous Tetsujin 28-go , though Giant Robo has more fantastic elements....
, Gayab Aaya, Guchhae,
He-Man and the Masters of the UniverseHe-Man and the Masters of the Universe is an American animated television series produced by Filmation based on Mattel's successful toy line Masters of the Universe...
,
Jungle Book Shonen Mowgliis an anime adaption of Rudyard Kipling's original collection of stories, The Jungle Book. It aired in 1989, and consists of a total of 52 episodes.-Music:...
(a dubbed Hindi version of a Japanese anime with original music composed by Vishal Bharadwaj),
TalespinTaleSpin is a half-hour American animated television series based in the fictional city of Cape Suzette, that first aired in 1990 as part of The Disney Afternoon, with characters adapted from Disney's 1967 animated feature The Jungle Book. The name of the show is a play on "tailspin", the rapid,...
& Duck Tales also the comic plays of
Charlie ChaplinSir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...
, Laurel & Hardy and
Didi's Comedy ShowDidi's Comedy Show was a 1989 German comedy television show starring Dieter Hallervorden that ran for 10 episodes. Didi is a bumbling detective who is struck by "brilliant" ideas which turn out disastrously; he eventually comes out on top, however....
.
- Among the earliest documentary films produced by Doordarshan in Delhi are The Peacock Calls [Mor Machay Shor] (1968), TRS-FRS (1968), The Floods May Come and Go (1969), and University Girls (1971).
- Some of the Transtel-Cologne shows that were popularly played on Doordarshan include, Telematch
Telematch was the name of a German television show broadcast during the 1970s till 1979 and based on its French counterpart Intervilles. It first consisted of a match between teams from two German towns . The match was composed of several games. For each game the participants would typically dress...
, The Old FoxThe Old Fox is a German television series created in 1976, but first on the air in 1977, now running for over three decades....
(Der Alte), DerrickA derrick is a lifting device composed of one tower, or guyed mast such as a pole which is hinged freely at the bottom. It is controlled by lines powered by some means such as man-hauling or motors, so that the pole can move in all four directions. A line runs up it and over its top with a hook on...
, and Scene of Crime. Doordarshan also played NBC's Knight RiderKnight Rider is an American television series that originally ran from September 26, 1982, to August 8, 1986. The series was broadcast on NBC and starred David Hasselhoff as Michael Knight, a high-tech modern-day knight fighting crime with the help of an advanced, artificially intelligent and...
starring David HasselhoffDavid Michael Hasselhoff is an American actor, singer, producer and businessman. He is best known for his lead roles as Michael Knight in the popular 1980s US series Knight Rider and as L.A. County Lifeguard Mitch Buchannon in the series Baywatch...
and ABC's Street HawkStreet Hawk is an American television series that aired for 13 episodes on ABC in 1985. The series was a Limekiln and Templar Production in association with Universal Television. Its central characters were created by Paul M. Belous and Robert "Bob" Wolterstorff, and its core format was developed...
as part of its Sunday afternoon broadcast during the mid- and late 80s.
- Doordarshan brought to the Indian viewers geographical documentaries made by the great marine explorer Jacques Cousteau (Secrets of the Sea) and the British naturalist David Attenborough
Sir David Frederick Attenborough OM, CH, CVO, CBE, FRS, FZS, FSA is a British broadcaster and naturalist. His career as the face and voice of natural history programmes has endured for more than 50 years...
(The Living PlanetThe Living Planet: A Portrait of the Earth is a BBC nature documentary series written and presented by David Attenborough, first transmitted in the UK from 19 January 1984....
)
Channels
Presently, Doordarshan operates 21 channels – two All India channels-
DD NationalDD National or DD1 is Doordarshan's flagship channel and the most widely available terrestrial television channel in India.-The Early Years:...
and
DD NewsThe Doordarshan News, usually referred to by its abbreviation as the "DD News", is a state-owned TV news channel telecasting from Doordarshan Kendra Delhi. The Prasar Bharati Board approved the proposal to start a 24-hours news channel in place of DD Metro. This was subsequently approved by the...
, 11 Regional language Satellite Channels (RLSC), four State Networks (SN), an International channel, a Sports Channel
DD SportsDD Sports is a state owned TV channel telecasting from Doordarshan Kendra Delhi. -History:DD Sports remains the country's only free-to-air sports channel...
and two channels Rajya Sabha TV &
DD-Lok Sabha for live broadcast of parliamentary proceedings.
On
DD NationalDD National or DD1 is Doordarshan's flagship channel and the most widely available terrestrial television channel in India.-The Early Years:...
(DD-1), Regional programmes and Local Programmes are carried on time-sharing basis.
DD NewsThe Doordarshan News, usually referred to by its abbreviation as the "DD News", is a state-owned TV news channel telecasting from Doordarshan Kendra Delhi. The Prasar Bharati Board approved the proposal to start a 24-hours news channel in place of DD Metro. This was subsequently approved by the...
channel, launched on 3 November 2003, which replaced the
DD MetroDD Metro also known as DD 2 was Doordarshan's Hindi language general entertainment channel. At the time, DD Metro was on air, the channel was kept as a terrestrial channel, instead of exclusive satellite channel. However, it was available on many of the cable operators in India...
(DD-2) Entertainment channel, provides 24-Hour news service.
The Regional Languages Satellite channels have two components – The Regional service for the particular state relayed by all terrestrial transmitters in the state and additional programmes in the Regional Language in prime time and non-prime time available only through cable operators. DD-Sports Channel is exclusively devoted to the broadcasting of sporting events of national and international importance. This is the only Sports Channels which telecasts rural sports like Kho-Kho, Kabbadi etc. something which private broadcasters will not attempt to telecast as it will not attract any revenues.
National
- DD National
DD National or DD1 is Doordarshan's flagship channel and the most widely available terrestrial television channel in India.-The Early Years:...
- DD News
The Doordarshan News, usually referred to by its abbreviation as the "DD News", is a state-owned TV news channel telecasting from Doordarshan Kendra Delhi. The Prasar Bharati Board approved the proposal to start a 24-hours news channel in place of DD Metro. This was subsequently approved by the...
- DD-Rajya Sabha
- DD-Lok Sabha
- DD Sports
DD Sports is a state owned TV channel telecasting from Doordarshan Kendra Delhi. -History:DD Sports remains the country's only free-to-air sports channel...
- DD Bharti
Regional
- DD Bangla
DD Bangla is a state owned TV channel telecasting from Doordarshan Kendra Kolkata.-History:DD Bangla is the Bengali language satellite channel supported by Doordarshan studios in Kolkata, Shantiniketan and Jalpaiguri, which are small regions near Kolkata...
- DD Chandana
DD Chandana is a Kannada TV channel owned and operated by Prasar Bharati under Doordarshan, supported by Doordarshan studios in Bangalore and Gulbarga. Launched in 1994 DD Chandana has entertainment serials, infotainment programmes, news and current affairs, social programmes and film programmes...
- DD Kashmir
- DD Urdu
DD Urdu is a state owned TV channel telecasting from Doordarshan Kendra in Delhi.- See also:* List of programs broadcast by DD National* All India Radio* Ministry of Information and Broadcasting* DD Direct Plus...
- DD Punjabi
DD Punjabi is a state-owned TV channel telecasting from Doordarshan Kendra Jalandhar, India.-History:DD Punjabi Channel was launched in 1998, and it became a 24-hour service within two years...
- DD NorthEast
- DD Sahyadri
DD Sahyadri is an Indian Channel displayed on TV in the state of Maharashtra. It shows serials meant for older women and programs such as Gotya for children's Entertaintment....
- DD Gujarati
- DD Malayalam
DD Malayalam is a Malayalam language television channel operated by India's national broadcaster Doordarshan. It is one of the 11 Indian regional language channels operated by Doordarshan. DD Malayalam is broadcast from Thiruvanthapuram, Kerala....
- DD Podhigai
- DD Saptagiri
DD Saptagiri is a state owned TV channel telecasting from Doordarshan Kendra Hyderabad.Doordarshan Kendra Hyderabad was inaugurated by the then President of India, Neelam Sanjiva Reddy on 23 October,1977...
- DD Oriya
DD Oriya is a state owned TV channel telecasting from Doordarshan Kendra Bhubaneshwar.-History:DD Oriya is a leading round the clock satellite channel broadcasting in Oriya language. It was launched in 1994. DD Oriya broadcasts serials, cultural programmes, infotainment programmes, news and current...
Active Doordarshan
It is an Interactive Service of Tata Sky to show 4 TV Channels of Doordarshan which are not available on Tata sky as normal channels. Active Doordarshan channels are DD Kashir,
DD Podhigai, DD Punjabi, DD Sahyadri, DD Chandana and
DD Gujarati .
DD has its own DTH service called
DD Direct PlusDD Direct+ is an Indian free-to-air digital satellite television owned by Doordarshan. Which provides digital video and audio programming to households and businesses in India. It offers a satellite alternative to the free-view service on digital terrestrial television, with a broadly similar...
. It is free of charge.
International broadcasting
DD IndiaDD India is an Indian satellite television channel which is marketed towards Indian audiences living abroad, and offers an update on the social, cultural, and political aspects of India. The channel was launched on March 14, 1995, and is available in 146 countries throughout the world...
is broadcast internationally via satellite. It is available in 146 countries worldwide, however information on receiving this channel in other countries is not easily available. In the UK, DD-India was available through the
EurobirdEurobird is the name for a set of satellites owned by Eutelsat. The Eurobird satellites provide broadcasting and telecommunication services primarily to the Western and Central European region from orbital positions of 28.5, 25.5 and 33 degrees East....
Satellite on the Sky system on Channel 833 (the logo is shown as Rayat TV). The timing and programming of DD-India international is different from that of India. Transmissions via
Sky Digital (UK & Ireland)Sky is the brand name for British Sky Broadcasting's digital satellite television and radio service, transmitted from SES Astra satellites located at 28.2° east and Eutelsat's Eurobird 1 satellite at 28.5°E. The service was originally launched as Sky Digital, distinguishing it from the original...
ceased in June 2008 and those via
DirecTVDirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
in the United States in July 2008.
Allegations of bias
- Doorsharshan does not have an independent editorial control unlike the BBC. Prasar Bharati, its parent body has all board members appointed by the Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
acting through the Information and Broadcasting Ministry. This control is evident in a budget that allows expenditure on "propaganda and public relations".
- It has been actively used especially during the Emergency for government propaganda.
- In 2004, it censored the airing of a controversial documentary on Jayaprakash Narayan
Jayaprakash Narayan , widely known as JP Narayan, Jayaprakash, or Loknayak, was an Indian independence activist and political leader, remembered especially for leading the opposition to Indira Gandhi in the 1970s and for giving a call for peaceful Total Revolution...
, one of the opposition leaders during the Emergency.
- In response to Pakistani propaganda in the Kashmir valley, Doordarshan launched the Kashir Channel in Kashmir to counter this propaganda. DD Kashir includes programmes focussing on Kashmiri culture and traditions and the history of Kashmir valley. One program on Kashmir featured was Budhshah, which told the life of the historical Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin
Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din Zain-ul-Abidin was a sultan of Kashmir in the present day Jammu and Kashmir state of India. Mohibbul Hasan has said that "Of all the Sultans who sat on the throne of Kashmir, Zain-ul-Abidin was undoubtedly the greatest .....
.
- It has in association with All India Radio established high power transmitters along the India-Pakistan Border to counter Pakistani propaganda.
- During Operation Bluestar, only government sources were used for reporting the story. Here Doordarshan was complicit in the production of a video that claimed acts of violence which when investigated by independent journalists were found to be false.
Commercial viability
- Once private television channels were allowed in 1991, Doordarshan has seen a steep decline in viewership in homes with Cable and Satellite Television which in 2002 was just at 2.38% for DD National.
- While it earns significant advertising revenue due to the compulsory feed given to it by the highest bidder to national events including cricket tournaments, there has been a proposal to give it funds by imposing a license fee to own a television in India like the BBC. However this is unlikely to be imposed keeping in view the financial constraints of the average Indian
See also
- List of programs broadcast by DD National
- All India Radio
All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
- Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India)
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is a branch of the Government of India is the apex body for formulation and administration of the rules and regulations and laws relating to information, broadcasting, the press and films in India....
- DD Direct Plus
DD Direct+ is an Indian free-to-air digital satellite television owned by Doordarshan. Which provides digital video and audio programming to households and businesses in India. It offers a satellite alternative to the free-view service on digital terrestrial television, with a broadly similar...
External links
((kn:ದೂರದರ್ಶನ